We were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
by catsoupservices
Summary: shiznat, writing what comes to mind, ideas welcome 1st chapter: from natsuki's pov. she goes to find shizuru at a dance club.
1. Parting of the Sensory

Hey, just a random snippet I felt like writing, my main question is does anyone want me to continue with this

Hey,just a random snippet I felt like writing, my main question is does anyone want me to continue with this? And if anyone happens to want me to, then anyone have suggestions?

I really don't know where I'm going with this, just writing what comes out so suggestions welcome!

BTW: Angst is good, but only in small amounts, so I probably wont be one to write 100 bloody chapters of pining over each other with no relief from the misery although I'm also not one to write "happy happy everything is fine and dandy" fics either. Oh if I ever switch tenses PLEASE point that out, I hate it when I do that, and I will go back and change it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mai hime yadda yadda don't sue; I don't have anything of value anyway.

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Ok so maybe I have no idea what I'm doing here, I look out of place, while I'm in actual clothes everyone else is wearing thongs, woops I mean "shorts", and if they have a sense of modesty, a top, most don't. I never expected the oh so high and mighty student body president to go to a place like this to...relax.

When I got here, it looked deceptively innocent, the bouncer at the door was friendly, everyone was wearing trench coats in line. Now I see why, if they hadn't they'd be freezing their asses off.

Inside was a different story, sweaty bodies ground against each other, in a way that I'd rather not look at if I had the choice, but they were everywhere and now here I am standing like a deer caught in head lights, half mortified half entranced by the rhythmic swaying of hips against each other.

This was a bad idea, the wrong idea, god what on earth am I doing here...I fumble for a place to look and a swish of blonde hair catches my gaze, ha just my luck there she is and...Dancing? I push through the crowd in the middle of the dance floor to get a better look. This is the single most unplanned thing I could have planned for...

_"Hey Shizuru fancy meeting you at this god forsaken hell hole, who knew you would look like an expensive S&M hooker after dark?" _**_No_**. _"Hey, what sup?" That_ wont work this is so unnatural for me, who talked me into this again? Right. Mai. I should strangle that girl for being so perceptive, so much for being an ice princess. Mai and Shizuru can read me pretty well, I'll have to do something about that...but first --

_Shit she saw me shit shit shit _

Before we stare at each other for too long and I make a total fool out of myself. I hastily retreat back the way I came not bothering to look where I'm going, only at where she was, tripping over feet and squeezing between dancers, till I finally I run through my escape route. Bursting through the double doors, causing them to hit the bouncer as they open, I find the nearest alley and dive into it.

Although I'm in a fairly high class part of town, at the end of the alley I see a homeless person either passed out or dead at the far end beside a dumpster. My attention however gets drawn back to the silent street whose silence was broken by the soft click-clack of heels across pavement. Not a moment later she comes into view, for a split second and then passes.

She was wearing a jean mini skirt, what caught my eyes the most was the black lace up corset she adorned on her top. She looked freezing, even from this distance I could see the goose bumps on her arms, she was clutching them tightly as she searched, for me. The sight of her dishevelled out in the cold night made me want to throw caution into the wind go behind her and encircle her with my leather jacket and possibly my arms. If I was feeling ambitious. I'm not.

So I sulk its what I'm good at, I sulk until she notices and comes to me. I want to be there for her as much as she is for me so why do I run away when she reaches out to me?

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	2. The Good Times are Killing me

I guess I'll start writing what comes to mind now

I guess I'll start writing what comes to mind now. I have this kind of crazy idea and if people like it I'll go with it, what would people think of Shizuru and Natsuki going on a backpacking trip? Anywho I'll write this chapter and wait to see what you guys think about that idea. **Big note** **in this story I will not make either characters weak or pathetic, it's simply going to be two stable women dealing with their relationship** in a hopefully mature as possible way at least that's what I'm aiming for... And yes I can write that they have doubts and have trouble saying what they want, because normal people do it too, its natural.

I don't really use italics for thoughts really, sometimes I do and sometimes it's Natsuki talking to the reader so I leave them out then basically I throw all those rules out the window.

Wow I didn't think I'd get so many reviews after one night...thank you

Everyone else, thanks for reviewing I will try to update every other day or so.

**The good times are killing me**

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_How long has it been since she passed by the alley I'm hiding in? Too long, I should look for her, come on stop being a pussy and just get up._

Making myself get up from my crouching position I had taken to on the wall, I snatch a look back to the homeless man at the corner, just to make sure he isn't, you know, planning, to surprise attack me with a smashed bottle or something.

I head out from the alley, take a look to either side of me before turning right opposite the dance club. There is a surprising amount of people lingering on the streets at this time of night, and although I cannot see detail very well I can certainly distinguish that walk. Even in heels she still has that dignity that she must have had painstakingly drilled into her through charm school. She is only a block up, I don't want her running around in the dead of night wearing that, as good as it may look, it could also get her into some trouble if she were to run into the wrong people. So I make a quick jog up a half block before I'm forced to slow down due to some rowdy teenagers. When I got by them she was gone, _crap, she walks to fast in heels_.

I make a quick burst around the next intersection corner and to my relief she was no more than three feet away from me.

"H-hey you really shouldn't be out here you'll get a cold" my mouth moves on its own.

"I suppose but your the one who made me come running out after you, so it's your fault" Shizuru retorts turning around immediately recognizing my voice.

"I uhhh I'm sorry, it was getting to hot in there" Oh boy I just opened myself up for missiles of teasing from shizuru _bad Natsuki._

"I suppose, next time you should wear something cooler, I'm sure no one would complain" Jeez does she ever have a fancy way of saying "wear a slutty outfit next time so I can see your knockers".

"I don't plan on ever going back there, its not my style I think that was quite obvious..." God where are my manners...wait I don't think I ever had them to begin with, I hold out my leather jacket I had been wearing up till now.

"Here" At least I can do this.

She uncrosses her arms and outstretches them. Stepping closer I slide it onto her arms, she still looks like an icicle but it'll do.

"Well what should we do now? We don't have to go back inside if you don't want to...the line to get back in might be long" She smiles and pulls the jacket closer to herself.

"Oh uhh...well why don't we...how much have you had to drink?" She doesn't look drunk but she is flushed.

"You think I'm a drunkard? Ouch I don't party all the time I do have this thing called university" She pokes me in the nose playfully. O_k so only a couple drinks._

"Right well if you want to drown yourself in that black pit of death called school for another four years fine by me" I've never understood the concept of breaking apart school and university aren't they basically the same thing?

"It's not so bad..." Pffft yeah right, even she doesn't believe the words she's saying.

"Anyway, how did you get here or plan on getting back to your dorm?" Bloody hell don't tell me she drove.

"I cabbed here I was going to do the same thing back..."

"No your not, first were getting tea and don't complain I know you can't resist" Where did she say that tea house she loved was? Wait what am I saying its late it's probably not even--

"Tea houses wont be open I would love some tea all the same...but my dorm doesn't have its own kitchen" Well this works too at least now I have a reason to talk to her more.

"Kk well lets go back to my place I'm the one whom you trusted to guard your precious tea with." That being said we set off back the way we came, around the club to a parking lot where I had parked my Ducati.

I couldn't help but laugh as Shizuru realized what she wearing, a mini skirt, would look like on a motorcycle. I reassured here we would be going to fast for anyone to notice. She didn't look convinced. It took quite some coaxing and promises of lots of good tea to get her on behind me. After that we were off.


	3. We Didn't Read the Invite we justcont

Hey again uhh I don't have much to say this time on with the show? Btw: the chapter titles arn't made up entirely by me, I search for a phrase that fits what im looking for or alter it a bit, all of these so far have been from modest mouse. Maybe later i'll think up some of my own but right now the songs I've been listening too have been just to perfect.

**We Didn't Read the Invite We just Danced at Our Own Wake**

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"So what are your plans for this summer?" I ask while sitting down on my couch and placing a hot cup of tea in Shizuru's hands.

"Well as unlike me as it is...I don't really seem to have any plans"

"You're not going to visit relatives or anything?" I tried to remember what she did last summer...oh right she had the internship at _shit what was it called again?_ Some kind of journalist internship.

"Well no, they happen to be very busy this summer and I wouldn't be able to see them much, so I figured I'd just do my own thing" Shizuru says nonchalantly taking a sip of her tea.

"Is it good? sorry but I haven't really ever been taught how to properly brew tea...in any case, if you don't have any plans then uhh...well I guess this'll be the first summer in while I'll be able to see you right?" _we should do something, I just don't know what, and I don't know how to say it, something though, something..._

"Yes it is...I do want to have something to do, I don't want to be stuck in my dorm all summer" she says "what about you? Working all summer again?"

That brought me out of my inner quarrel I had going; trying to find a way to say we should hang out.

"I took some time off this summer they are doing a full reno on the place, so I'm free if you wanted to..."

"-- do something? I'd love to" I laughed out loud; she was expecting that I couldn't say it myself.

"yeah, something...I don't really know what though and if you suggest the beach I will throttle the life out of you, I hate the beach and for good reason too" I proclaim, after posing in bathing suit seductively at the side of a road to get back home after a trip to the beach, I think my hate is justified. W_hat a closer to a perfectly hideous day._

"In any case we have sometime to think about it and in the meantime I would love to go to sleep, I'm worn out." right silly me she must have been at that club for awhile it was 1oclock in the morning.

"Right right well...umm it's late so you can just crash here if you want..." my gut does a double back flip, sleeping over...

"That's nice of you if you don't mind I'm going to have a shower first"

I do nothing but nod my head vacantly, I hear the shower turn on. My train of thought wanders from what we could do together during the summer, to Shizuru in the shower, till I realize I'd better get something for her to wear after. I head into my room and also realize that I haven't cleaned. Anything. Ever. For the next fifteen minutes I'm scrambling around changing sheets, picking up clothes_--click-- crap she's out._

I must look like a complete idiot when she walks in, my arms are full of dirty clothes, I'm also kicking even more clothes in the direction of the laundry hamper with my feet and topping it off there is a sock. On my head. To even more confirm how silly I look she full out laughs at me.

"Hey! Don't just stand there, help me out or I'll make you sleep on the couch!"

"Oh? You were planning on letting me sleep in your bed? With you?" _shit I can already feel my face heat up and by the look on her face she is enjoying every second of it._

Instead of answering I shove my arm full of clothes in her direction, she reluctantly stops the teasing and puts them in the hamper by the door. I pick up the clothes I had set aside for her to sleep in and hand them to her.

"Here uh that corset looked like it would be a bitch to sleep in".

"Thank you" Ok that went well, I say to myself as I get ready for bed as she goes into the bathroom to change. I have a soft spot for beds, I love mine and am unwilling to give it up ever. I have silk sheets, and it's a queen size, its heaven. I bury my face into my mountain of pillows and start to drift off to sleep.

Sometime later my mind recognizes a body slipping into my bed I murmur something incoherent, even to me. She chuckles softly and I feel a hand stroke the back of my head.

"Good night Natsuki".


	4. Dimes and Nickels

I see now why people love reviews hint hint but seriously I would like to improve my writing, so as long as its constructive and something I can work on It'd be a great help. Lol woot thought up my own title. And if you just want to drop a line saying that you like it, that'd encourage me.

**Nickels and Dimes**

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It hit me head on, almost like in those movies where someone would walk onto the road and get plowed down by a bus, well my idea was the bus.

A trip, we should go on a trip, me and Shizuru that is. Neither of us has really been anywhere, I just finished my last year of high school, finally. She's done university for the summer. It would be perfect, somewhere different than Japan... Iceland? Russia? Europe? wait I'm getting ahead of myself, I don't even know if Shizuru would like it, or if wed have enough money, well I do, but does she? And when would we leave? Mai would freak out if I just up and left without notice.

An unconscious smile crosses my face as I lay in bed imagining what we could do. I roll onto my right side looking at where Shizuru lay last night. She's probably in the bathroom getting dressed or something, I can hear movement... in the kitchen? I get up curious as to what she's making, food hopefully. I make my way to the island kitchen counter and flop down onto one of my bar stools.

"Hey what are you making?"

"Eggs and toast"

"That's odd of you, not that I'm complaining" _really really odd of her..._

"Well you don't exactly have a huge selection here" oh right I haven't been grocery shopping in a week.

I let her concentrate on the eggs and make myself content by watching her work. She looks adorable in my oversized black t-shirt I gave her last night. She looks very relaxed, it makes me happy that she can be so with me. My eyes trail down to her legs _did she wear the boxers I gave her? _Shizuru would, but it certainly doesn't look like she did.

I was brought out of my daze when I heard a plate being set down in front of me and look up to see shizuru settling herself down next to me.

"Thanks" I chowed down on my food, Shizuru was looking at me odd, probably trying to contain a laugh.

"Whaaat I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon cause I went to find you, and by the way you should make it more clear where your headed it toke me way to bloody long"

"I don't ever remember telling you to come find me did I? By the way just why did you?" _gulp shit why did I again? Quick lie fast Natsuki fast!!_

"I uhhh..ummmm" I've never been good at lying on the spot "I forget".

"Oh really? You did did you? Could it by any chance have to do with the fact that, oh I don't know, yesterday was the day we first met?" S.H.I.T. we always do something that day, usually just hang out, it's kind of like an anniversary. another thing I've never been good at : dates, both types I once actually agreed to meet up with some girl I met at a shooting range, of course I didn't realize I was accepting a date at the time, Mai informed me, gawd was that ever embarrassing.

Anyone observing this wouldn't think she was taking it to hard, but I knew better, the only way I could make this better was by A) making a complete ass out of myself, preferably in public B) agree to put up with her teases for 1 month or C) become a suck up.

I went with none, I've been trying this new thing lately called honestly, it works sometimes, and I mean at least I just get my punishment up front.

"Right yeah sorry I uhhh how can I make it up to you?" she looked pretty shocked by that.

"..." wow speechless I kind of like this new honestly thing.

"How about I take you out today? Anywhere you want?"

"I...id like that" ha I guess she can't really get made at me right now.

"So where too?"

"I feel like...an aquarium or museum"

"Well which one? Remember I'm not aloud to choose" _please don't choose museum, please those things are old and dusty and most of all boring_

"Museum" _fuck. Just fuck I can already tell that by the end of this day I''d rather be sawing off my own foot with a butter knife._

"Don't worry it wont be so bad, so stop giving me that look" _-sighs- I suppose I have no choice_

"Fine I suppose I have no choice, I'll be back in 20 I got to go fill up my bike with gas"

"Bye".


	5. Blame the Children

Hey again thank you for the reviews, I'll go back and change those grammar errors and such just a little swamped right now. I might go back and re-write the first chapter, cause I'm not to happy with it. And I'm looking for a beta, if anyones intrested ummm what else, reveiw?

**Blame the Children**

"...huh? What what??"

"You fell asleep standing is this really THAT boring to you?" _YES god woman how long do you plan on keeping me here?_

"It's...it's not that..." I mumble "...yeah can we at least eat pleeease"

"Ok ok and after, we'll go to the "Wide World" section, maybe you'll like that" _Wide World section? That's perfect._

We've been here for five hours, my feet kill, I'm hungry and I'm bored. Taking me to a Museum is like taking a four year old to the metropolitan opera, _what do you expect?_ Its three the most I can be made to stay here would be _ugh another 5 hours. Shizuru's not that cruel...although...she did kill all those people in the carnival...yes...but that was for me, so she couldn't possibly think of doing something so cruel and barbaric to me. Besides this Wide World section could be the perfect opportunity..._

"As a small compensation I'll let you choose where we go"

"Uhhh someplace close I don't know" I've never been around here go figure...

"Right, well there is a cafe downstairs why don't we go there?" I'm good as long as it has food.

"Fine"

I grab her arm and pull her down the flight of stairs at the end of the dinosaurs section _I hadn't actually minded that section._ We got to the cafe fairly quickly it wasn't really busy today. The cafe turned out to be more restaurant style and a waiter came up and seated us, taking our drinks. I tried ordering alcohol I figured I'd need either courage or to be shit face drunk to do this**.** But Shizuru gave me a scowl apparently she's not in favour of drinking during the day.

"And stop being so sour, if I knew you would be acting like this I would've never suggested coming here"

"No no, I'm not meaning to I just..." Have I been acting sour? I certainly don't mean to be...

"I get that you don't like the museum, but do you have to ruin my time here also?" Shizuru actually looks sad, I panic.

"No no please, don't get like that, I just...please? I'll behave" _Please let's just eat and get to the next section it'll be better after that, promise._

"If you want to leave after this we can, I don't want to keep you here against your will"

"I said no, listen will you? I actually want to see the next section...I've…Always wanted to travel" It's true, during the carnival, all I was looking for was who killed my mom, I never got to enjoy the things around me.

"Backpacking sounds fun actually, its something I want to do, maybe after I graduate" So she does...

We spend the rest of our time in the restaurant in simple conversation. Shizuru pays much to my embarrassment, I left my wallet at home. The Wide World section is on the third floor. I'm a little to eager to get up to the third floor, as we reach the third floor, I look behind me to see Shizuru breathing hard from keeping up.

"He...he sorry" She gives me a faint smile before straightening herself up and walking forwards ahead of me through Large double mahogany doors that lead into the section. When we pass through the doors, everything goes pitch dark. The first room is oval shape it's pitch dark except a large glass globe of the earth with the diameter of a hummer. It's glowing with a faint blue that almost pulsed, it looked like it was the ocean waves being projected, with just enough light so that you can see outlines of people and they looked like it would were you in an aquarium, with water being reflected off your face. The writing on the doors leading to specific places were glow in the dark, there was one for each country.

"Wow" that's all I could really say...

Shizuru silently walks towards the first door on the right that had "America" inscribed on it. I follow her through each door taking note of which ones she enjoys most, at the end it had to be a tie up between Europe and Russia. I excuse myself to the bathroom and tell her to wait in the first room.

_What should I say now it has to be now... _I'm nervous obviously, you would be too, as I walk back to the room with the globe in it I try in vain to think of something, anything to say that could lead to traveling, _were in a fucking world section this should be easy._ At the double doors now, I push open one as quietly as I can and step into the darkness.

Shizuru is standing at the center of the room in front of the globe watching it. I can't blame her, this room, everything in it is beautiful, so simple too. With her back facing me I try to sneak up behind her, but she hears me when I get about a foot or so away from her. Shizuru half turns, quite startled by my sudden presence.

My left hand reaches up to rest on her lower back and she turns to fully face me. My other hand comes around to clasp with my other hand behind her back.

_Oh god oh god what are you doing Natuski. _My mind screams but I ignore it.

"I really like the exhibit on the Mediterranean sea" I can see that she didn't expect me to hug her, I can tell even in this darkness that she has a blush.

"We could go there if you want" I try to convey what I mean through gestures by pulling her closer. She relaxes, putting her arms around my neck playing with my hair, _she's self indulgent isn't she_, and she is obviously not taking me quite as seriously as I had hoped.

"What are you talking about Natsuki?"

"Travelling, us this summer, your free and so am I, why not?"

"Please Natsuki, don't be--"

"I'm not being ridiculous! I really want to do this, you and me"

"H- How serious are you?" _Finally god this woman is dense._

"This serious" I pull her in even closer so that our noses are touching. Her breath hitches, and becomes shallow. I continue to look her in the eyes until she slowly closes them.

Just as I thought maybe I have enough courage to do this, I hear a creak of a door and beyond it; children, a class trip. In a panic I roughly shove Shizuru away. I immediately regret it.

She looks shocked and hurt. But I can't do anything right now, and maybe she understands for she just looked at the opening double doors in surprise as well.

This I why I hate children.


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